Quick-action monkey-wrench.



J. -L. BEBRS. QUICK ACTION MONKEY WRENCH.

APPLIUATION FILED AUG. 19, 1908.

Patented Mar. 16, 1909.

INVENTOR I Wm iififlyawwvwfimr 2 2 2 2 3 I FIGJ.

E 55s 7 I removable plate covering I 1n the lower side of the movableaw; and Fig,

UNI

v JEREMIAH L. BEERS, OF WILKINSBL'RG, PENNSYTXAXIA.

QUICK-ACTION MONKEY-WRENCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 1c, 1909.

Application filed August 19, 1908. Serial No. 449,324.

To all whom it may concern:

-Be it known that l, JEREMIAH L. BEERS, a resident of \Vilkinsburg, inthe county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a newand useful Improvement in Quick-Action Monkeyrenches, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention is a quick-acting monkeywrench, and the object of theinvention is to provide a wrench of this character which is of simpleand strong construction, which can be readily operated, which is soconstructed as to hold the movable jaw a ainst movement in eitherdirection, and w ich permits the movable jaw to be moved to engage thenut by means of the hand of the operator which is holding the wrench.

he invention comprises the construction and arrangement of partshereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional viewof a wrench embod ing my invention; Fig. 2 is a section on the ins 2--2,Fig. 1, showing a face view of the detents on the lower side; Fig. 3 isa similar view on the line 3-3, Fig. 1, showing in face view the detentsand operating mechanism on the back of the shank; Fig. 4 is a crosssection on the line 44, Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a similar section on the line5-5, Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section showing the manner ofadjusting the detentson the back of the shank; Fig. 7 is a detail viewshowing the the wedge block 8 is a perspective view of the s ring.

My wrench has the usual shan r 1, carryin the fixed jaw 2, and rovidedwith the usua handle 8. The shai is provided on what is usually termedits lower edge with rack teeth 4, which are comparatively coarse, andwhich referably run entirely across the lower edge of the shank. On whatis usually termed its up er edge or back the shank is also pro vi edwith rack teeth 5, which are of only half of the size of the rack teethi, and alternate ones of which are located directly opposite the teeth4. Preferably the rack teet 5, extend only partly across the back or topof the shank, leaving side ortions which are not toothed, toserve as acaring for the jaw and prevent mutilation of the teeth.

Mounted on the shank is the movable jaw 7, which has a sleeve portionentirely,s ur rounding the shank, as is usual. he bottom portion of thejaw is'provided with'a restaggered relation with reference cess, 8, opentoward the shank and containmg form of plates provided on their inneredges with teeth 10, cooperating with the teeth 4, on the lower edge ofthe shank. The teeth on these several detents are arranged in staggeredrelation with reference to each other, as shown'in Fig. 2, so that thejaw can be held in positions constituting fractions of thedistance-between the teeth 4. Four detents 9, are shown, so that if therack teeth 4, on the shank are spaced of an inch, by means of thesedetents the jaw can be locked at distances of 5 '2- of an inch apart.

The detent plates 9, are normally held or pressed .against the rackteeth by means of a owed or leaf spring 11, in the recess behind thedetents. These detents are provided with openings 12, having one sideinclined as shown. In these openings is a wedge block 14, adapted to emoved longitudinally and by acting against the inclined side of theopenings, to retract the detents against the action of the s ring 11.The wedge block is provided wit 1 end portions 15, that at one endworking in a groove 16, in one of the walls of the jaw, and the otherworking in asimilar groove 17, in a plate 18, which is removably securedto the jaw, such as by means of a screw 19, so that said plate can beremoved to permit the removal of the wedge block to assemble and d.sassemble the parts. The Wedge block 14, is actuated by a usher orbutton 20, which projects throug a hole in the end of the jaw. Thispusher has a threaded connection with the wedge block so that it can beunscrewed and taken out for the pur ose of disassembling the arts. Itnormal is held in its outwar ppsition by a spiral spring 21, interposedetween a shoulder on said pusher and a ledge surrounding the openingthrough which the )usher projects.

The bac or rear member 2 1, of the jaw is grooved or recessedlongitudinally, and mounted in said groove on a pivot 25, are twodetents or dogs 26, ada ted to engage the rack teeth 5, on the bac ofthe shank. The teeth of these dogs are. also placed in to each other.Springs 27, are arranged in the backs of these detents and normallypress them into engagement with the rack teeth 5, on the shank. The dogsare disengaged from the rack teeth by a wedge block 28,

a number of detents or dogs 9, 1n the I adapted to be'forced behind orbeneath the I 65 in the movable jaw.

tails of said dogs. This wedge block is actuated by a pusher 29',projecting through an opening in the end of the jaw. This pusher has athreaded connection with the wedge 5 block and is rovided with a collar31, en-

gaging the plhte 32, which is notched to straddle the pusher. This plateand collar serve to prevent longitudinal movement of I the pusher whenit is rotated, so that by turning the pusher, the threaded connectionwith the wedge serves to push said wedge underneath the tails of thedetents or dogs 26, to hold them in the groove in the jaw or out ofcontact with the rack teeth, as shown in Fig. 6. Thisis done only whenassembling or disassembling the jaw and shank. For ordinary operationsof the wrenclithe wedge block 28 is actuated by shoving the pusher 29inwardly.

The rack teeth 4 and 5, ranged; that is, the teeth 4, face toward theiixed jaw, while the teeth 5, face away from the fixed jaw. Consequentlyby means of these racks and the detents or dogs described, the movable jaw is held against movement in either direction. The detents 9, and rackteeth 4, hold the movable jaw from o ening away from the fixed jaw, butby pus g inwardly on the pusher 20, the detents 9, are released from therack teeth 4, and the movable jaw can be moved away from the fixedjaw'to open the wrench.

The detents 26, and rack teeth 5, hold the movable jaw from accidentallyclosing,which are oppositely arset to fit a certain nut, and itis-necessary to remove the same, it is desirable to have the jaw remainin the adjusted position so that frequent applications of the wrench tothe nut can be made without further adjustment. By merely pushing in onthe pusher 29, however, these detents are-disen aged from the rack teeth5, and the mova le jaw can be closed on the nut, or moved toward thefixed from the outer end of the movable jaw, it is in a convenientposition to be engaged by the thumb of the hand which grasps the handle,so that the wrench can be readily manipulated by a single hand; .Inother words, it is merely necessary to place the wrench in engagementwith the nut, and then by means of the thumb push the pusher 29, and thedetents 26, are disengaged from the teeth 5, and simultaneously themovable jaw is pushed up into close contact 'with the nut. This makesthe device very convenient to operate. By turning the pusher 29, thewedge 28, is forced under the tails of the detents 26, thus permanentlyretracting the same, said wedge being held from moving from underneaththe tails of the detents by the collar 31, and plate 32.

The parts are assembled by first placing all of the detents and springswithin the recesses The wedge block 14, is

1s Important, since after a wrench has been aw. Inasmuch as the pusher29, projectsfix I put in place through the opening which is closed bythe plate 18. ,The usher 20, is j connected to the wedge block by merelyscrewing the same into said block. The handle 3, is then removed fromthe shank, and I the shank slipped endwise int-o the opening in themovable jaw.

To take the wrench apart the handle 3, is removed from the shank, thepusher 29, is rotated to force the wedge 28, underneath the tails of thedetents 26, and then by pressing the pusher 20, inwardly and holding thesame in that position, the movable jaw can j be slipped ofi the shank.To remove the detent plates 9, from the jaw the plate 18', is removed,the pusher 20, is screwed out of the wedge block, and the wedge blocktaken out, I afterwhich the detent plates 9, can be removed from theinside.

The wrench described is of simple con struction, having a small numberof simple and strong parts. It positively holds the j movable jawagainst movement in either direction and can be readily manipulated toclose the jaw on the nut by the use of only a single hand.

What I claim'is:

1. In a wrench, the combination of a shank provided with two sets ofrack teeth, said teeth in the two sets facing in opposite directions, amovable jaw on said shank, two sets of detents carried by said jaw andengaging said racks, each set of detents being provided with teethstaggered relatively to each other, and a pushing element extendingthrough the end of the jaw toward the handle and arran ed to release thedetents from the rack teeth which face away from the fixed jaw, wherebyby merely pushing on said element, the detents are released and the jawsimultaneously moved toward the fixed jaw.

2. In a wrench, the combination of a shank carrying a fixed jaw andprovided with rack teeth on its underside facing toward said 'ed jaw, amovable aw on said shank, a series of detents carried and engaging saidrack and provided with teeth staggered relatively to each other, a wedgemember arranged to disengage said detents from the rack, and means formoving said wedge member.

carrying a fixed jaw and provided on one edge with rack teeth facingtoward said 'aw, a movable jaw mounted on said shank, a series ofdetents carried by said jaw and en. gaging the rack and provided withteeth staggered relatively to each other, a spring normally pressingsaid detents into engagement with said rack, a wedge block engaging saiddetents, means for actuating said wedge block, and a removable platearranged to permit the removal of said wedge block.

4. In a wrench, the combination of a shank carrying a fixed jaw andprovided on one 3. In a wrench, the combination of a shank provided withing member for with the rack teeth, a'wedge block located in theOpenings of said detents and arranged to actuate the same, an actuatingmember havmg a disconnectlble connection with said wedge bIock, and aremovable plate closing an opening through which the wedge block can bewithdrawn.

5. In a wrench, the combination of a shank rack teeth, a jaw movablymounted on said shank, detents pivotally mounted on said jaw andengaging said rack teeth, springs normally holding said detents inengagement with said rack teeth, a wedge slidably mounted'in the jaw andengaging the tails of said. pivoted. detents, and a pushactuating saidwedge.

6. In a wrench, the combination of a shank provided with rack teeth, amovable jaw on said shank, detents mounted on saidjaw, a

wedge arranged to move said detents out of engagement from the rackteeth, a pusher having a threaded engagement with said wedge and mountedto rotate and also recipl rocate inwardly and move the wedge, and

ward movement when rotated, whereby the I wedge is forced into positionto hold the detents permanently out of engagement with j the rack teeth.

provided with a fixed jaw and with rack l teeth on opp0site faces andfacing in opposite directions, a movable jaw on a shank,

l detents carried by said movable jaw and engaging said rack teeth andarranged to hold 1 the movable jaw from movement both, toward and fromthe fixed jaw, and a reciprocating actuating member-for the detent Eengaging the teeth facing away from. the l fixed aw, said actuatingmember projecting i from the outer end of the jaw toward the E handle,whereby when said member is pushed ithe detent is released from the rackteeth and the movable jaw simultaneously moved vi toward the fixed jaw.In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand. 7 l JEREMIAH L.BEERS.

l Witnesses:

G. GLEN CAIN, l JOHN J. WALKER.

l means for holding said pusher against out- 7. In a wrench, thecombination of a shank r

